Morula Casino License Officially Moving to Menlyn

Morula Sun casino’s license is officially moving to Menlyn, Sun International announced on 16 September 2015. With the struggle to get the correct license to operate in the city as well as problems experienced due to high court interdicts to try and stop the licence being granted, the group must be heaving a sigh of relief as its plans for a new casino are finally moving forward. According to a representative for the group, a trade-off with Goldrush, which has opposed the transfer of the casino license, has been put to bed and both parties are ready to proceed with the plans for a new casino.

Goldrush, the operator of various electronic bingo terminals and limited payout machines approached the High Court earlier this year to oppose the granting of the Morula licence, but has since withdrawn its application for reasons that are still unclear. Some sources have stated that Goldrush received a financial contribution from Sun International in exchange for its withdrawal of the interdict, but these statements are as yet unconfirmed by sources. One disclosure made public by Sun International though, is that Goldrush will be able to relocate one of its electronic bingo terminal licenses to the site of the new casino, which could open up a profit floodgate for Goldrush.

The license move will probably be a great income generator for Sun International too, which in recent years has seen the revenues from Morula Casino slowly trickling to almost nothing, due to the prominence of the kinds of terminals and machines Goldrush provides. The group officially posted an earnings total of R33-million last year which is not sufficient to sustain a company of that kind of magnitude, and has been worried for some time about losing players to alternative gambling methods.

So what will the licence transfer mean for citizens of the area and its surrounds? Well, with plans in place for Sun International to develop a R3-billion South African casino, this could see more tourism in the area and a boost to the city’s economy. However, this will likely bring with it an increase in noise pollution, traffic and other problems. As yet, citizens have not made public their views on how the casino will affect them, but they will likely be more vocal as building begins and problems begin to arise.

A spokesperson for the group explained that, should there be no further impediments, the new casino will open in September 2017 and will be able to accommodate a variety of gambling operations within it, including electronic bingo terminals, limited payout machines and more traditional casino fare. The group’s main goal is to ensure its existing clients are accommodated and that it gains new clients without losing the ones it already has. Read our Morula Sun Casino Review